The FTC alleged Apple violated the law by failing to notify parents that by entering a password, not only were they approving the immediate in-app purchase, but all in-app purchases made for the next 15 minutes, without additional action.

One of the standard Apple 20 page contracts that nobody reads warns about this now.

hitmanric:Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

I always have to enter my iTunes password when I'm buying something, though I think I've only made one in-app purchase. Do in-app purchases not have those same controls or is it something you have to set up manually?

Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

At least the Google store now has a setting to require a password for purchases even if the credit card is stored, but it isn't on by default, and I don't know if you have that 15-minute window like iTunes has.

rugman11:hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

I always have to enter my iTunes password when I'm buying something, though I think I've only made one in-app purchase. Do in-app purchases not have those same controls or is it something you have to set up manually?

It says in the article that once you enter the password, the card is active for 15 minutes with no password needed, so the kids can sit there and buy a ton of shiat after mom and dad leave the room...

Mikey1969:rugman11: hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

I always have to enter my iTunes password when I'm buying something, though I think I've only made one in-app purchase. Do in-app purchases not have those same controls or is it something you have to set up manually?

It says in the article that once you enter the password, the card is active for 15 minutes with no password needed, so the kids can sit there and buy a ton of shiat after mom and dad leave the room...

Mikey1969:Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

In the 90s, parents did this amazing thing called "take responsibility, lecture the kid, and pay it anyways". What the heck happened, america? I realize we've given away a lot of our freedom over the years, but did we give away the personal responsibility with it?

Flappyhead:Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

And THAT'S why I have no problem with this, it's obviously doing exactly what it's designed to do, which is take advantage of kids being kids while the parents think they're safe because they entered the password. Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

Mikey1969:Flappyhead: Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

And THAT'S why I have no problem with this, it's obviously doing exactly what it's designed to do, which is take advantage of kids being kids while the parents think they're safe because they entered the password. Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

The amount of money Apple gained is too small to be important to them, and it's cost them far more in bad publicity. I see no evil intent, just some lack of attention to detail.

Hell, I don't know.... Turn on Airplane mode before handing the phone off to little johnny? If I can't lock out in-app purchasing somehow, AND the game MUST be on-line to play, then they ain't playing. It's not like there aren't a bazillion games on the iPhone store.

The6502Man:Hell, I don't know.... Turn on Airplane mode before handing the phone off to little johnny? If I can't lock out in-app purchasing somehow, AND the game MUST be on-line to play, then they ain't playing. It's not like there aren't a bazillion games on the iPhone store.

They had no reason to expect that the card could be charged again without entering another password. No doubt there's some escape clause for Apple but it's a crock of shiat excuse. Parents did everything as responsibly as anyone could expect, Apple farked them over.

My son was playing Angry Birds Star Wars on my Facebook account last summer on a computer next to mine. I hadn't realized that I'd left my credit card information in my account (having purchased a few things for Marvel: Avengers Alliance). He then proceeded to rack up over three hundred dollars in charges in less than an hour. He was then banned from using my account and the information was removed.

rugman11:hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

I always have to enter my iTunes password when I'm buying something, though I think I've only made one in-app purchase. Do in-app purchases not have those same controls or is it something you have to set up manually?

Probably, but a great very many people are as "sharp as the corners of a round table"* and don't take advantage of very simple security features.

The6502Man:Hell, I don't know.... Turn on Airplane mode before handing the phone off to little johnny? If I can't lock out in-app purchasing somehow, AND the game MUST be on-line to play, then they ain't playing. It's not like there aren't a bazillion games on the iPhone store.

No, the point is that little Johnny asks to buy a powerup for his game, and you enter your password, thinking that you're good, but that leaves the card approved for a 15 minute window, and Johnny gets a bunch more popups, not realizing that you only approved the one.

That's what bothers me, even when you think you're doing it right, and even if you have an honest kid, these things can add up quickly and pretty much under the radar.

Sergeant Grumbles:Mikey1969: Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

It can get pretty shifty. Hell, Candy Crush is really bad about it, the way they offer you free boosts near the beginning, only to hock'em to you later.

I read a story a couple of weeks ago.I think it was about Candy Crush, but it talked about these apps with in app purchases and had common ones at multi millions of dollars a day, if I remember right. And like I said, it wasn't holding up Candy Crush like it was a rarity, these guys make tons of money daily.

Mikey1969:Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

At least the Google store now has a setting to require a password for purchases even if the credit card is stored, but it isn't on by default, and I don't know if you have that 15-minute window like iTunes has.

Or not. Actually, Apple was on its way to refunding all of it before the FTC got involved.

Mikey1969:Flappyhead: Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

And THAT'S why I have no problem with this, it's obviously doing exactly what it's designed to do, which is take advantage of kids being kids while the parents think they're safe because they entered the password. Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

Exactly.

What was happening:-

"Mom can you install this game for me? it's FREE!"Mom: OK.. let me enter the secret password. Don't look!Kid: Thanks mom!, proceeds to play 'smurfs', 'simpsons', 'candy crush' or whatever and rack up thousands of dollars via in-app purchases on what was supposed to be a 'free' game,

App doesn't require the password because mom just entered it. Mom doesn't suspect the app is costing her money as it said 'free' when she installed it. App doesn't require "re-"entry of the password as it's just been done. Apple doesn't ask every single time due to the 15 minute window. Kid thinks all these dollars they're spending are play money.

What happens now:There is a setting to disable in-app purchases completelyThere are warnings on apps with in-app purchases

Althought it's not a lot of money Apple is paying, it probably covers a decent amount of the sneaky in-app money they gained from this.

lindseyp:Mikey1969: Flappyhead: Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

And THAT'S why I have no problem with this, it's obviously doing exactly what it's designed to do, which is take advantage of kids being kids while the parents think they're safe because they entered the password. Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

Exactly.

What was happening:-

"Mom can you install this game for me? it's FREE!"Mom: OK.. let me enter the secret password. Don't look!Kid: Thanks mom!, proceeds to play 'smurfs', 'simpsons', 'candy crush' or whatever and rack up thousands of dollars via in-app purchases on what was supposed to be a 'free' game,

App doesn't require the password because mom just entered it. Mom doesn't suspect the app is costing her money as it said 'free' when she installed it. App doesn't require "re-"entry of the password as it's just been done. Apple doesn't ask every single time due to the 15 minute window. Kid thinks all these dollars they're spending are play money.

What happens now:There is a setting to disable in-app purchases completelyThere are warnings on apps with in-app purchases

Althought it's not a lot of money Apple is paying, it probably covers a decent amount of the sneaky in-app money they gained from this.

Mikey1969:Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

At least the Google store now has a setting to require a password for purchases even if the credit card is stored, but it isn't on by default, and I don't know if you have that 15-minute window like iTunes has.

Years back, I decided to try out Iplayer to play music off cd's at work. To get most of the players functions, including auto displaying the cd's information (album name, track info, etc), you had to create an itunes account. Giving them a credit card number was required.

Since the days of the iPhone 3GS (maybe even earlier) you could go to Settings and easily make 2 changes to stop this problem. 1- Disable all in-app purchases. 2- Make sure your iTunes password has to be re-entered before each app is purchased, eliminating the 15 minute window.

JohnAnnArbor:Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

At least the Google store now has a setting to require a password for purchases even if the credit card is stored, but it isn't on by default, and I don't know if you have that 15-minute window like iTunes has.

Or not. Actually, Apple was on its way to refunding all of it before the FTC got involved.

Only because they got caught. There's no way that this is an "accident" on anyone's part, whether it's Apple, Google or the game developers. The more they can give you a "free" app and then make it impossible to beat unless you spend money, or the more they can just trick you in any way, the more serioius money they make.

It may have originally been something that nobody thought about, but I can guarantee you that they knew about it well before any stories broke, and continued to let it ride as long as possible.

lindseyp:Mikey1969: Flappyhead: Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

I seem to recall an incident last year with a Simpsons freemium game that operated along those same lines. You'd input the password for an in-game purchase once and then you could just keep buying shiat without ever entering it again during that play session. Some kid racked up a few thousand in a month and mom didn't even realize it until the bill arrived.

And THAT'S why I have no problem with this, it's obviously doing exactly what it's designed to do, which is take advantage of kids being kids while the parents think they're safe because they entered the password. Hell, it's so easy to do that I can even see younger kids buying things without even realizing that they are costing their parents more money.

Exactly.

What was happening:-

"Mom can you install this game for me? it's FREE!"Mom: OK.. let me enter the secret password. Don't look!Kid: Thanks mom!, proceeds to play 'smurfs', 'simpsons', 'candy crush' or whatever and rack up thousands of dollars via in-app purchases on what was supposed to be a 'free' game,

App doesn't require the password because mom just entered it. Mom doesn't suspect the app is costing her money as it said 'free' when she installed it. App doesn't require "re-"entry of the password as it's just been done. Apple doesn't ask every single time due to the 15 minute window. Kid thinks all these dollars they're spending are play money.

What happens now:There is a setting to disable in-app purchases completelyThere are warnings on apps with in-app purchases

Althought it's not a lot of money Apple is paying, it probably covers a decent amount of the sneaky in-app money they gained from this.

The other thing that bothers me is the apps that are paid and then pretty much require in-app purchases at some point, plus have about 47 different kinds of adware, spyware and other questionable shiat. It's one thing on a free app, people have to make money somehow, but that's supposed to be the point behind paying for it. I see it all of the time on the Amazon free app of the day, and the worst part is that those also usually are $1.99 to even $5.99 normally, and still filled with that crap, not $.99 like most of the apps on the Google store...

I really hate shady business bullshiat, I will go back again and again to companies that are honest and up front.

Satanic_Hamster:Mikey1969: Yeah, I have no problem with this decision... They have had years to fix this shiat, this cropped up awhile ago, and they haven't worked to prevent it because it has them rolling in dough.

At least the Google store now has a setting to require a password for purchases even if the credit card is stored, but it isn't on by default, and I don't know if you have that 15-minute window like iTunes has.

Years back, I decided to try out Iplayer to play music off cd's at work. To get most of the players functions, including auto displaying the cd's information (album name, track info, etc), you had to create an itunes account. Giving them a credit card number was required.

You had to enter a credit card to listen to physical cd's.

fark Apple/itunes.

Yeah, I got tired of iTunes last year when they farked it up, now I use an alternate player and only use iTunes to manage my iPod (Still the best mp3 player design, really). Otherwise I don't touch iTunes.

BTW, if you're looking for a good media player and haven't settled on one, check out Clementine. It's free, cross platform, and will manage an iPod. You still need ITunes on there, and have to load at least 1 song thru iTunes, but after that, you're free to ignore ITunes forever...

ZAZ:The FTC alleged Apple violated the law by failing to notify parents that by entering a password, not only were they approving the immediate in-app purchase, but all in-app purchases made for the next 15 minutes, without additional action.

One of the standard Apple 20 page contracts that nobody reads warns about this now.

hitmanric:Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

You're required to either give a credit card or an itunes card number when you create your account. I presume most people are too lazy to stop at that stage and go buy an itunes card, so they just bang in their credit card number and forget about it. So yes, it is their own fault as far as I'm concerned. The few parents I know whose kids have iphones (mostly they have better brands of smartphone) only top them up with itunes cards. Because they're not farking morons.

I was recently "forced" to get an itunes account as something I wanted was only available through them. Upon hitting that screen I said "fark you, you're not even getting my real name, you certainly aren't getting my credit card number" and left off until I could be bothered to buy an itunes card.

if_i_really_have_to:hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

You're required to either give a credit card or an itunes card number when you create your account. I presume most people are too lazy to stop at that stage and go buy an itunes card, so they just bang in their credit card number and forget about it. So yes, it is their own fault as far as I'm concerned. The few parents I know whose kids have iphones (mostly they have better brands of smartphone) only top them up with itunes cards. Because they're not farking morons.

I was recently "forced" to get an itunes account as something I wanted was only available through them. Upon hitting that screen I said "fark you, you're not even getting my real name, you certainly aren't getting my credit card number" and left off until I could be bothered to buy an itunes card.

Nope. Setup my in-law's iPad day after Christmas. No requirement for this. You're an idiot or full of shiat. I choose both.

if_i_really_have_to:I was recently "forced" to get an itunes account as something I wanted was only available through them. Upon hitting that screen I said "fark you, you're not even getting my real name, you certainly aren't getting my credit card number" and left off until I could be bothered to buy an itunes card.

And people wonder why piracy is so popular. Most people have no problem paying for stuff. What they do have a problem with is hassle. I'd put apps with mini-transactions hidden throughout as a hassle.You can't blame a person for incorrectly dealing with a problem there's no good reason they have to deal with in the first place. There's only so much personal responsibility that can be assigned before we have to stop and ask "Why do we have to deal with all these hidden ways to nickel and dime?"

Somaticasual:In the 90s, parents did this amazing thing called "take responsibility, lecture the kid, and pay it anyways". What the heck happened, america? I realize we've given away a lot of our freedom over the years, but did we give away the personal responsibility with it?

Contracts entered into by minors have always been voidable. I read a case in intro to business law where a 16 year old girl bought a car, gave it to her boyfriend, broke up with said boyfriend, and then decided she didn't want to be making payments on the thing. The court ruled that as a minor, she could void the contract at any time, and while the rule is that you have to return anything you can, she was no longer in possession of the car, so she could just walk out of the deal. Dealer had to eat the loss. Same rule here. Any purchase a kid makes is voidable. The people who make these apps are scum, and deserve every lawsuit they get.

rugman11:hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

I always have to enter my iTunes password when I'm buying something, though I think I've only made one in-app purchase. Do in-app purchases not have those same controls or is it something you have to set up manually?

Depends on the app. The people who design these kids games know what they're doing.

if_i_really_have_to:hitmanric: Can you buy aps, music, etc.... without an itunes card? If you can use a credit card and you leave that info on your kids iphone then maybe it's not really apples fault.

/didnt RTFA//obviously

You're required to either give a credit card or an itunes card number when you create your account. I presume most people are too lazy to stop at that stage and go buy an itunes card, so they just bang in their credit card number and forget about it. So yes, it is their own fault as far as I'm concerned. The few parents I know whose kids have iphones (mostly they have better brands of smartphone) only top them up with itunes cards. Because they're not farking morons.

I was recently "forced" to get an itunes account as something I wanted was only available through them. Upon hitting that screen I said "fark you, you're not even getting my real name, you certainly aren't getting my credit card number" and left off until I could be bothered to buy an itunes card.

not true- if you tap on a free item in the store, you can create an appleID without any credit or gift cards. Also, people can remove cards as long as there is not an outstanding payment. Anyhow, to find the step by step, go to apple.com/support, search"Create appleID without credit card"

//first thing I do after verifying customer ID if I get someone with unexplained charges and it's not fraud is show them how to remove the CC//Android user, Apple Technician//fark in app purchases, and sleazeball game devs

Somaticasual:In the 90s, parents did this amazing thing called "take responsibility, lecture the kid, and pay it anyways". What the heck happened, america? I realize we've given away a lot of our freedom over the years, but did we give away the personal responsibility with it?

Hahahahahahahaha nope. I had friends who made a fun game of milking Columbia Music House out of tons of CDs and then not paying anything because they were minors. Their parents didn't pay a damn thing either. You're going to have to go further back than the 90s for those qualities....

if_i_really_have_to:You're required to either give a credit card or an itunes card number when you create your account. I presume most people are too lazy to stop at that stage and go buy an itunes card, so they just bang in their credit card number and forget about it. So yes, it is their own fault as far as I'm concerned. The few parents I know whose kids have iphones (mostly they have better brands of smartphone) only top them up with itunes cards. Because they're not farking morons.

It is the kid's iPhones. It is the parents letting the kid play a game on their iPhone or iPad. They made an in-app purchase for the kid not knowing the 15 minute window, and then the kid buys a pile of stuff in the next fifteen minutes not knowing what they are doing.

Apple has a duty of care to make that 15 minute window blindingly obvious to anyone using the phone. And not just the first time it is used, as Mommy may make a purchase for the brat on Daddy's phone.

The whole idea what such a window is teh default setting just seems retarded to me.